The Magic of Snow
by Fairy Princess
Summary: Just a little H/Hr romance durring the winter. This is my first fick, but please be honest when you r&r. If you want, I'll make it a series. Thanks alot yall!
1. Promises Kept, Secrets Revealed

A/N: Ok peeps, this is my first story, so go easy on me. I know that my little romance scene at the end is a bit corny. To all you guys who read the first version of this story, Hermione does have brown hair, not red, sorry. I've just always pictured her with red hair for some reason.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. Everything belongs to J. K. Rowling. I own nothing, I am nothing. Just read the story, ok?

~ The Magic of Snow ~

Snow started falling outside of the Gryffindor dorm room where Hermione slept. Christmas was over, and Hermione was depressed. The Great Hall seemed gloomy since all of the Christmas decorations had been taken down.

"What was Harry thinking?" Hermione pouted to the empty room. "I thought I meant more to him than just a little bag of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans" She sighed deeply. "But then, I didn't know what to get him either. At least I got him that Guide to all Quiddich Plays book that he had his eye on. He at least could have given me chocolate," Hermione said to herself.

Classes would start in two days, and Hermione would bet that Harry and Ron were both scrambling to finish that pile of homework from Professor McGonagall. 

"Maybe I should go down there and help them," Hermione said as she walked down the stairs and entered the Gryffindor commonroom. Sure enough, both of the boys were the only ones in the room, sitting at a table close to the fireplace, and were hovering over their books.

"Hey guys! Guess what, it's snowing!"

Ron looked up and said, "Hey Hermi! Is it? I bet you finished all this before Christmas, right?" he brushed some of his red hair out of his face and gave her those pathetic "will-you-please-help-me-with-this-because-you-are-so-much-smarter-than-I-am" eyes.

"Yea Hermione, you've been done for so long, will you help us?" Harry asked, looking up through his thin silver-framed glasses and shaggy black hair. (He had transfigured his old black ones because Hermione had suggested that a newer, brighter frame might look better on him.) "Pu-leeeeeeeeeese!" Both of the boys started begging her, and Ron actually got out of his chair and knelt before her, grabbing onto the hem of her robe, and pretending to kiss her feet.

Hermione couldn't help but start to giggle when Harry got down on the floor next to Ron, and grabbed her hand. Both she and Ron stopped when Harry gently kissed it, and whispered, "Please Hermi?"

She could feel herself starting to blush, and Ron looked at Harry almost in disbelief.

"Dang, Harry! I didn't think you were serious when you said you wanted to kiss-"

"RON!" Harry cut him off, "You promised you wouldn't say anything about that!" Now Harry's neck was turning bright pink, and the color made it's way up to his cheeks and ears.

"Er, how about you two get back in your chairs, and I'll help you with your mountain of work, ok?" Hermione said, shocked at what the two boys had just said. She had never thought that Harry might return her feelings. She had been in love with him since she discovered that they would be in the same house for seven years. On the train, Hermione had thought he was cute, and tried to sound smart to impress him. The only time she had even considered that Harry might like her as more than a friend was then she had that wonderful dream where she and Harry had-

"Hello? Hermione, you in their girl?" Ron jerked her out of her thoughts. "Hermi, don't bother to pull that big chair over here. I'm sure Harry wouldn't mind letting you sit on the arm of _his_ chair." Had she been watching Harry's face and not Ron's, Hermione would have saw first a glare, and then a look of shock, embarrassment, and gratefulness all rolled into one.

"Yea, go ahead Hermione, I don't mind," Harry said, his voice shaking a bit.

Hermione carefully placed herself on the edge of the chair's arm, and proceeded to help Ron and Harry find the answers to the 75 questions that needed to be answers. Then she helped them get an idea of what to write for the essay questions. By 11:45, almost an hour since she came down to check on the guys, they were finished. Sometime during that hour, Harry had slipped his arm around Hermione's waist. Ron, who had developed a blue spot on his lower lip from where he sucked on the tip of his quill, quickly gathered his books, parchment, quills, and ink bottle. On his way up to the boys' dorms, He "accidentally" bumped into Hermione, causing her to fall into Harry's lap. Ron quickly apologized and bid the two good night.

"O, I'm sorry, Harry! Here, let me get up. I don't know what Ron was think-"

"Shh. It's alright. I don't mind if you don't." Slowly, Harry slipped his other arm around her waist, and pulled her close.

"Harry, I"

"Please don't. Just let me get this out, ok? O, Hermione I love you. I have since I first saw you on the train on the way to Hogwarts."

"Harry, I love you too."

"You know, I promised myself that I wouldn't kiss you until it was snowing. Let me go get my invisibility cloak." With that, Harry picked her up, and placed her feet on the floor. Ron must have been listening, because suddenly, their dorm room opened, and Harry was hit in the face with his cloak.

"RON!"

"What?" Ron asked innocently, sticking his head out of the door. "Come on you two! Get out of here!"

Harry and Hermione huddled under his invisibility cloak, and crept down the hallways and through secret passageways. Mrs. Norris, the janitor's spying cat, nearly caught them, or rather, walked through them. Harry managed to scoot around her, and resisted the urge to give the menacing cat a good kick.

When the couple finally got outside, it was snowing harder.

"Cold?" Harry asked as he pulled Hermione into a hug.

"Not now," she answered. The wind picked up a little, causing snow to swirl around them, like in a scene from the movies. Harry tightened his arms around her, and Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" Hermione whispered.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Harry whispered back.

He didn't get an answer right away, because suddenly his lips were being kissed by this beautiful, fiery, brown-headed girl whom he loved. Her lips tasted sort of like a combination of raspberries and peppermint, strange yet delicious. When the sweet kiss ended, their first, pure, innocent kiss ended, Harry opened his eyes, and asked, "Is that a yes?'

"Yes, Harry, yes!"

~ The End ~


	2. The Reasurance

A/N: Ok guys, you asked for it

A/N: Ok guys, you asked for it! You know, I only got 21 reviews out of 200 hits, what's up with that?! Someone in a review asked me to tell how Harry and Hermione fell in love, so in this part, Hermione will have some flash-backs. Sorry if they aren't completely accurate; my friend borrowed my first book because someone else was borrowing hers and she wanted to read it for the seventh time or something. Look at me, rattling on and on and on when you wanted to read a fic! Sorry.

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns everything. I don't own any of this except the title and the basic plot.

Ok, on with the reading!

~ The Magic of Snow- part 2 ~

"…And so for tonight's homework, I want you to read chapter fifty-six through chapter sixty-two. Answer all of the questions at the end of each chapter. That's all; class dismissed!"

Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked out of the Defense of the Dark Arts classroom together. Harry had his arm around Hermione's waist, and Ron kept making little kissing noises at the new couple. Hermione playfully slugged him in the shoulder.

"Harry, look what your girlfriend just did to me!" Ron complained to his best friend, while dangling his arm as if it was dead, and of no use to him.

"Well, it serves you right! If you wouldn't tease us, then I wouldn't have a good reason to hit you," Hermione pointed out, "although, I'm sure, if I really wanted to, I could find a good enough reason to put a hex on you!"

Harry laughed as he said, "You know, she's right! I'm sure this beautiful witch would curse you if you don't stop, Ron!"

"Beautiful witch? Where?" Ron asked, looking up and down the hall.

"Why you dirty little rat!" Hermione yelled at Ron. "Ok, so I couldn't win a beauty pageant, but I'm not ugly am I?" Her countenance suddenly transformed from angry to worried and unsure.

"Hermi, you are beautiful. I'm almost sorry that I didn't get to you before Harry did. You know, if this scum hurts you in any way, shape, or form, I will first comfort you, then kill him, and finally, hope that you would consider me more than a friend. But I'm sure Harry wouldn't even dream of doing anything like that, right Buddy?"

Harry looked shocked at the words of his best friend, and nodded. Hermione, after recovering from the serious and tender words that just came from her friends lips, smiled at him, then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Ron turned almost as read as his hair, and Harry looked at Hermione, now stunned. She giggled as Harry scooped her up into his arms.

After checking the hall for any teachers or students that would get them in trouble, Hermione looked into Harry's eyes, and kissed him.

"Ok, you two, break it up before I go get Dumbledore," Ron teased.

____________________________

After changing into her night robes, Hermione climbed into her bed, and fell fast asleep.

Hermione walked into a train compartment on the Hogwarts Express next to Neville Longbottom. "Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." She looked at the boy with the shaggy black hair and the lightning bolt scar across his forehead. **"_Harry!" She thought to herself as she dreamed, that's Harry!"_** "O my goodness! He's cuter than I imagined! I hope I'm not sounding too bossy!"

Hermione awoke in her warm four-poster, and found that she had a smile on her face. She sighed, and tried to remember the details of when she first met Harry.

It was breakfast time, so Hermione got dressed, and wandered into the Gryffindor common room. Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown sat at a table in the corner playing Exploding Snap.

"Good morning, Mio!" Lavender greeted.

"Morning guys!" she replied.

"Harry's down for breakfast; he left a few minutes ago," Ron said.

"Thanks! I'll see you two down there?"

"Nope, we've already eaten," Ron and Lavender said in unison, followed by giggles. Ron planted a kiss on Lavender's cheek, making her blush furiously.

"Now I'm jealous," Hermione teased. Ron and Lavender had hooked up about a week ago, and Hermione loved to tease them.

Ron got up out of his chair, and kissed her on the cheek as well.

"Happy now?"

Hermione laughed, "Yes, thank you!" and gave him a hug.

Ron was like a brother to her. No one gave much notice to them, because everyone knew that she was in love with Harry, and Ron was in love with Lavender.

"Well, I'd better go down to see Harry," she said dreamily.

Hermione walked into the banquet hall, and sat down next to Harry at the Gryffindor table.

"Where have you been all morning?" he asked her.

"O, just dreaming of when we first met," she answered.

"You dreamed about the train ride on our first year too?" Harry inquired, amazed.

"Yes, I guess we really are meant for each other, huh?"

"Yea… Hermione? Do you know what four days from today is?"

"Yep! It's Valentine's Day! I've already gotten something for you."

"Really? I have too!"

The two stared at each other for a while, then Harry looked up at the enchanted ceiling, and grabbed Hermione's wrist, pulling her towards the front door.

"Look Mio! It's snowing!"

Hermione smiled, and let him pull her outside onto the front step. She wrapped her arms around his waist. Just then, Ron and Lavender burst through the door.

"O, um… Hi guys!" Lavender stammered.

"Come on Lavender, let's go over by the lake," Ron said.

"No, it's alright, we'll just pretend you guys aren't here," Harry put in, and Hermione nodded in agreement. Ron and Lavender shrugged and put their arms around each other. 

"I love you, Harry," Hermione whispered. 

"I love you too, Mio," Harry whispered back.. 

The two looked over at Ron and Lavender, who were busy whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears, glanced slyly at each other, then reached down for a handful of the fresh-fallen snow. Harry put his finger to his lips when Lavender's eye-brows rose inquisitively at him. Ron suddenly yelped as the cold, icy snow found its way down his collar, sending chills through his body. Everyone but Ron burst out in uncontrolable laughter. 

"Oh, and I suppose you find this amusing?" Ron inquired, a mischevious look flitting about the corners of his mouth. Harry ducked to ecsape the sudden onslaught of snow, only to hear Hermione shreek. Now, all four love-birds were engaged in an all-out snow-brawl. 

After everyone was cold, wet, and happy, Hermione suggested that they all go inside. Harry and Hermione kissed, hugged, and then returned to the common room. 

Ron and Lavender followed the other couple's lead, her contented sighs echoing through the deserted Entrance Hall. 

A/N So? Was it bad? Yea, I thought so too. Review please!! Thank you to all those people who reviewed the first one. Sorry about the ending, I didn't know what to do there. Do you want more? Let me know and I'll do my best to comply! H/H forever! 


	3. The Aftermath

AN: Ok peeps! You asked for it! dun-dun-dun-da! Don't give me much credit for this chapter. My good friend, "Ron" thought he'd write the next chapter in MY series. But, once you read it, I think you'll see that he's pretty good. "Ron", "Prongs" (Who is also like Ron, but a girl), and I am working on the fourth chapter as you read this, so it should be up soon. Ok. I'm done now. Read the story! Oh, and if you don't review, I might send my "Harry" and "Draco" after you. (And "Prongs" is perfectly capable and willing to perform any of the Unforgivable Curses on you. evil laugh J/K!!)

~ The Magic of Snow ~

~ Chapter 3- The Aftermath ~

After retrieving their bags from the common room the group visited Hagrid during the time they would have had Defense Against the Dark Arts then went back to the castle for lunch. It was a meal like any other, punctuated only by conversation on what they had for the afternoon lessons and a few giggles from Ron and Lavender's side of the table as the two whispered to one another. 

"What are you two talking about that is so funny?" Hermione finally asked them when lavender had squealed loudly.

" Nothing," said Ron in response, "just figuring out what were going to do tonight."

"Well you had better hurry up and eat, we have to leave for lessons in a moment," Harry said.

"Ah, yes! An exciting double-dose of potions with our favorite teacher, Snape." Ron exclaimed with extreme sarcasm.

Knowing of course, that potions was with the Slytherins, the four decided to not be holding hands as they turned the corner that led to the potions classroom to avoid harassment by Draco Malfoy and his thick-headed cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. Although these two rarely make any comments, they are always flexing their over-large muscles menacingly at anyone who contradicted Malfoy. As was Snape's nature, when the four entered the room, two minutes late, he gave them each a detention and took twenty points from Gryffindor.

Throughout the lesson, Harry kept slipping his hand around Hermione's causing both of them to smile. And once, while Snape had his back to the class writing the ingredients for that day's potion on the board, Hermione had giggled exceptionally loud when Harry kissed her on the neck. However, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Lavender straightened up when Snape turned around and gave them a spiteful look as though he thought giggling should be made illegal as Harry had in the time just before the Yule Ball. And as Snape returned to the blackboard, Harry was suddenly very thankful that Snape did not have a magical eye like that of Professor Moody, their fourth and most recent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. This was because that eye could see through thick hedges, table tops, robes, invisibility cloaks, and even the back of the owner's head. However, Malfoy knew what was going on and had begun to mouth very offensive words at the couples. At this, Harry, imitating the leprechauns at the Quidditch World Cup, took his hand and made a rude signal at Malfoy who, stopping his muted communications, scowled menacingly. Hermione looked as though she was about to scold Harry, but upon reconsideration decided that he had deserved it. Then as Hermione turned back to copying the notes on the board, Harry turned to give Ron a thumb's-up. While Lavender was busy resting her head on his shoulder, Ron returned the gesture smiling and putting his arm further around Lavender's waist. 

Several times during dinner and for some time afterward, Hermione would begin to giggle then play fight with Harry as he had "accidentally" tickled her in the side when he put his arm around her waist.

"Stop, please." Hermione said mid-giggle, "No more no more."

"Sorry, Mio, I just never knew you were ticklish before tonight." Harry said as he stopped tickling her and pulled her off his armrest and into his lap, "I won't tickle you again tonight, I promise." He swore, raising his right arm. 

And while Harry kept his promise, Ron did not. He ended up tickling both Hermione and Lavender whenever he got the chance. 

A little later Ron asked, "Well, now that we've finished our work, I believe you said I could borrow your invisibility cloak, Harry."

"Oh yeah, go ahead. It's in my trunk." Harry said casually not looking away from his girlfriend as he spoke. 

"What do you need that for?" Said Lavender.

"What else?" Ron said, stopping at the foot at the foot of the spiral staircase, "It's snowing again isn't it?" 

Lavender gave Ron a face, which consisted of a rather mischievous smile and a raised eyebrow. Harry on the other hand was busy thinking of a place where he and Hermione could be alone for a while, a great look of concentration on his face though he was smiling. Hermione, seeing his face said suddenly, "Why not the tunnel behind the statue of the one-eyed witch. You know, the one that leads to Hogsmeade."

"Yeah, why not? Harry repeated approvingly, "Man, we really think alike. It's weird."

Harry then got his Marauder's Map from the dormitory so they could see all the short cuts of the castle. This would let them get there and back much more quickly to avoid Filch or any of the teachers. The boys then walked up their staircase announcing that they were going to bed, and the girls did the same. Once inside the room the cloak was put over both Ron and Harry and they sneaked back downstairs to meet the girls in their dormitory so they could all sneak out under the cloak. Although the group had to walk rather slowly under the cloak because it barely covered all of them, they reached the statue rather quickly and Lavender and Ron departed for their date. Harry opened the hump, helped Hermione into it, and climbed in after her. 

"Ow!" Came Hermione's voice.

" What wrong? Are you okay?" Harry's concerned voice followed.

"I fell scraped my elbow." Hermione said clutching her right arm.

"Aww, com'ere, you." Harry said in half-mock sympathy. Harry carefully took Hermione's arm and kissed her hand in comfort. "I know I should save this for a more important injury, but this will help." He said getting a kind of smile that meant he was pleased with some thing had thought of and pulling out a small vile of clear liquid. As he opened it and poured the contents onto Hermione's injury, the pain instantly retreated from her arm. "Thanks, what was that?" she asked.

"Phoenix tears. The last time I was in Professor Dumbledore's office I got a couple from Fawkes in the case of an emergency, but now's as good a time as any." Harry explained. 

"Amazing. And thanks again." Hermione said holding out her arm for Harry to help her up. Instead, Harry picked her up and carried her down the passage, Hermione giggling. Harry, finding the softest bit of ground he could, set Hermione on it. "Oh, Harry." Hermione said hugging him and resting her head on his shoulder, " I can't believe it took us over four years to get here." She said at last.

"Well let's make up for lost time," Harry suggested straightening her up.

"Let's," she agreed kissing him.

" Wow!" Both said in amazement, as they broke apart and began laughing again.

"I love you so much." Harry whispered in her ear.

"As do I," Hermione replied hugging him more tightly. Suddenly Hermione broke up laughing and nearly fell over.

"You promised," she shrieked, " 'No more tonight' remember?" 

"Yes, but it's been tomorrow for five minutes now." Harry stated holding up his watch to show her 12:05am.

"What? Oh, my! We'd better get back to Gryffindor Tower!" said Hermione, a definite note of panic in her voice. 

"But it's Friday and- Okay," Harry said reluctantly.

Once back in Gryffindor common room they exchanged one last hug, bid each other good night, and separated. Harry walked very carefully up the stairs and into the room as not to wake anyone. Although, as he got into bed, he noticed Ron wasn't there.

AN: Well?? Reviews! Reviews! I love reviews! Please review! Am I making myself clear?? "Ron" did a good job, don't you think? Anyway, thanks to all my faithful readers who reviewed my story. Love you all lots!


	4. The Gift

~ The Magic of Snow ~

~ The Magic of Snow ~

~ Chapter 4 -The Gift ~

"Ouch, dang!" came Ron's voice. "What the heck is this doing here?" Ron continued, apparently talking to himself as he looked at the trunk that was blocking the doorway. He had walked right into it and had nearly fallen flat on his face.

"What, you don't like how I rearranged the furniture?" Harry said quietly to Ron, who looked as though he had almost suffered a heart attack, "Where were you?"

"Oh, Harry," said Ron, "you scared me."

"Where were you?" Harry repeated, smiling.

"Where do you think I was?" said Ron, returning the same kind of face which Lavender had given him that morning.

"Well, wherever you were, I hope you had my cloak," Harry said, holding out his hand.

"Yep! Thanks a bundle, Harry. Lavender loves the cloak and the excitement and freedom that comes with it," said Ron, his smile widening, "And so do I." Ron threw him the cloak.

"Well gosh, it's two thirty. What were you doing?"

"I took Lavender to the Shrieking Shack. Then we stopped at Honeydukes and got loads of sweets," Ron said, showing Harry his pocket-loads of candy. "Oh, and you know how Fred and George were going to start that joke shop?"

"Yea," answered Harry.

"And they wouldn't tell us where they were opening?"

"Yea," Harry answered again more impatiently.

"Well they've got a shop in Hogsmead right were Zonko's used to be."

"What? You're joking!" Harry said, sitting up.

"No, I'm not," Ron said smiling, "We got there at about ten o'clock and Fred and George showed us around. They gave us all sorts of stuff including this catalog," he said, brandishing a shiny catalog with the words Weasly Wizard Wheezes written across the top in luminous letters. The text was obviously bewitched to be flashing different colors and font styles every few seconds.

"It's brilliant, it is! They have everything from those fake wands to canary creams to a parchment that makes comments about the people who address it." Ron began piling numerous things of the sort onto Harry's bed.

"What are those?" Harry asked, pointing at a pair of glasses.

"Ooh, those are Decopto-specs," Ron answered.

"Decep-what?" Harry said, picking them up.

"Decepto-specs," Ron repeated, "they make everything you see off-center a bit so that when you're walking down the hall, you may walk into people, while you're seeing them three feet to the right of where they really are. Or you're in a hurry to class and when you try to enter the classroom, you run right into the wall," Ron continued as Harry took off his own glasses and put on the ones in his hand.

"Cool," Harry said in amazement.

"And these are a real item, they are," Ron said, holding a few pieces of brightly wrapped sticks of gum in his hand. Harry set the glasses down and instead focused on the gum.

"Ditto chew- it lets you record a few moments of a person's voice and then if you chew it whatever you say will sound exactly like them. The effect will wear off when you stop chewing it, but it will work if you put it back in your mouth. But wait, you can check it out for yourself tomorrow; let me get back to my story. Since there is not much to do in Hogsmead at 11:30, we had come back through the Shrieking Shack and at this time, we once again noticed that it was snowing," Ron said, sitting down on his bed and taking off his shoes.

"Let's see, that leaves… three hours. It couldn't possibly have taken you more than ten minutes to get here. So I repeat, what were you doing?" Harry said as he came to this logical conclusion.

__

Tap, tap, tap

The boys looked up to see Hedwig tapping impatiently at the window. Harry quickly got up and opened it, which let in a snowy owl whose feathers were partially frozen, and a blast of cold, night air. She landed on Harry's bed and held out her leg so that the large letter tied to it might be removed. Harry did so carefully, and Hedwig affectionately nipped his finger in thanks, ruffled her feathers, and flew over to the fire.

"Who's it from?" Ron asked.

"Dunno. There's no writing on the front," Harry said, opening the letter. "Wait, there's a paw print; it's from Snuffles," He explained; he had almost said it was from Sirius Black, which it was, but he had been convicted of murder, and escaped from Azkaban. Although he was innocent, only five people knew this besides himself and believed it: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and his "victim", Peter Pettigrew who was still alive because he had faked his own death. Harry read:

"_Harry,_

How are you? Hope you're getting along well at school. Congratulations about Hermione. You two will make a good couple. Have you been keeping up on your work like you promised? I have some news for you! First, Remus Lupin is coming back as your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Second, and I think you might find this more intriguing, I'm giving you the key to Gringotts' vault # 714." -Harry paused to notice the key Sirius mentioned- "_It contains something of your mother's that I was to give you when you started at Hogwarts, but certain things, dementors mainly, prevented me from doing so until now. You can get permission from Dumbledore to travel by floo powder to Diagon Alley to pick it up this weekend. Hope you like it; it should come in very useful. Buckbeak says hello._

Your Godfather,

Snuffles"

Harry, the letter still clutched in his hand, looked up at Ron who had been reading over his shoulder.

"You seem to get cool, new stuff all the time, Harry. What do you suppose it is? If it's another invisibility cloak, can I have it?" Ron said hopefully.

"I doubt it is, but sure," Harry replied.

"Well, since you already know where we've been, why don't you tell me where you went?" Ron said.

"Because I didn't come in at 2:30 in the morning!" Harry said sarcastically. But then he proceeded to explain, in far more detail that Ron had needed or wanted, what he did with Hermione that night.

"Have I told you that you two make a cute couple?" Ron inquired.

"Yea, now shut up so I can get some sleep. I want an early start at Hogsmeade tomorrow. Good night," Harry said as a yawn and stretch took over his body.

"See you tomorrow," Ron answered, Harry's yawn becoming contagious. Ron climbed into his four-poster and fell fast asleep.


End file.
